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V-1 missile
German missile of World War II.
V-2 missile
German liquid-fueled ballistic missile of World War II, forerunner of modern space launch vehicles (see also rocket) and long-range missiles.
Vaal River
River, South Africa.
vaccine
Preparation containing either killed or weakened live microorganisms or their toxins, introduced by mouth, by injection, or by nasal spray to stimulate production of antibodies against an infectious agent.
vacuole
Space within a cell that is empty of cytoplasm, lined with a membrane, and filled with fluid.
vacuum
Space in which there is no matter or in which the pressure is so low that any particles in the space do not affect any processes being carried on there.
vacuum tube
Electron tube consisting of a sealed glass or metal enclosure from which the air has been withdrawn.
Vadim (Plemiannikov), Roger
French film director.
Vadodara
City (pop., 2001 prelim.: 1,306,035), southeastern Gujarat state, west-central India.
Vaduz
City (pop., 1997 est.: 5,000), capital of Liechtenstein.
Vaganova, Agrippina (Yakovlevna)
Russian ballet dancer and teacher.
vagina
Genital canal in females.
vaginitis
Inflammation of the vagina.
vagrancy
Act of wandering about without employment or identifiable means of support.
Váh River
River, western Slovakia.
Vail
Town (pop., 2000: 4,531), west-central Colorado, U.S.
Vairocana
In Mahayana and tantric Buddhism, the supreme buddha who is the cosmic counterpart of Sakyamuni in his teaching mode.
Vaisheshika
One of the six orthodox systems, or darshans, of Indian philosophy.
Vaishnavism
Worship of Vishnu as the supreme deity, as well as of his incarnations, mainly Rama and Krishna.
Vaishya
Third highest of the four varnas of India.
Vajiravudh
King of Siam (Thailand; 1910–25).
Vajpayee, Atal Bihari
Leader of India's pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and prime minister of India in 1996 and from 1998 to 2004.
vajra
Five-pronged ritual object extensively employed in the ceremonies of Tibetan Buddhism.
Vajrayana
Form of tantric Buddhism that emerged in India in the first millennium AD and spread to Tibet, where it is the predominant tradition in Tibetan Buddhism.
Vakataka dynasty
Indian ruling house that originated in the central Deccan in the mid-3rd century AD.
Valdemar I
King of Denmark (1157–82).
Valdemar IV Atterdag
King of Denmark (1340–75).
Valdes
French religious leader.
Valdés Leal, Juan de
Spanish painter.
Valdivia, Pedro de
Spanish conquistador.
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